1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to an inverted, electric motor and method of using such an inverted electric motor with or without an internal combustion engine to propel a vehicle.
2. Description of Prior Art
For many years, most passenger and freight vehicles have used an internal combustion engine as the only source of power to rotate the drive wheels. This has been done thru a clutch, transmission, drive shaft, differential reduction gears and axles. Over the years, peripheral devices have been added to vehicles to provide comfort, entertainment, and additional control. In recent years, air pollution concerns and fuel storage concerns have forced positive changes in air pollution standards and fuel storage laws. Also in recent years, the rising cost of fuel has made the internal combustion engine less attractive to use as the only source of power.
To alleviate the concerns of the rising costs of fossils fuels and pollution, inventors have designed electric vehicles that are propelled solely via electric motors. One disadvantage of conventional electric vehicles is increased cost due to the addition of multiple gears that are used to produce additional torque. The addition of multiple gears also decreases the efficiency of the vehicle.
In recent years, inventors have also designed hybrid vehicles that are propelled by a combination of an internal combustion engine and an electric motor. Internal combustion engines are used to propel the hybrid vehicle for long periods of time. Conversely, the electric motor is used only occasionally for propulsion or to provide additional power along with the combustion engine for short periods of time. Hybrid cars, despite the increased cost, have provided little improvement in fuel efficiency and/or lower pollution. Additionally, hybrid cars have numerous mechanical parts such as the multiple gears in the transmission, drive shaft, universal joints, transaxle, constant velocity joints, and geared differential or rotating axle shafts. Maintenance and repair of these numerous parts also add to the expense of owning a hybrid.
The literature is replete with vehicles that are propelled solely by electric motors or propelled by a combination of an internal combustion engine plus an electric motor. Patents and patent application publications discussing electric vehicles include Williams U.S. Pat. No. 4,099,589 and Kuwayama U.S. Patent Application Publication 20010045307, respectively. Patents discussing hybrid vehicles include Yamaguchi et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,488,608 B2, Koga 5,821,706, and Severinsky 5,343,970.
Although the prior art addresses the issue of using electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles as alternatives to the exclusive use an internal combustion engine, the prior art devices do not provide an alternative that is desirable and affordable. What is desired is an affordable electric vehicle that does not contain gears, that produces ample torque, that provides for maximum efficiency, and that has low maintenance costs.